Sorry for the long delay in any response but this forum is not very active at this time of year :-) And I'm not sure what your question has to do with a winter garden in the first place.......

I am very sensitive to plant odors and I have never noticed any unpleasant aroma from this viburnum. Maybe if you stick your nose right into the flower you could detect something but nothing that carries any distance. And you will need at least 2 different kinds to produce any berries so if you stick to one cultivar, you should be fine (although the berries are edible and can be used to make jams or syrups).

You will offend your neighbors more by planting something with a really unpleasant odor, like certain junipers and boxwood. Those reek!!

Yes they can smell just like dog cr*p at certain times of year. I work at a commercial nursery and the smell is noticeable when you have a group of 50 of them in the sales yard. In fall when the foliage is past prime for fall color seems to be when I notice the smell. It only seems to last for a week and then is fine.

I would not consider this issue to be a reason not to grow it since the rest of the year it is a beautiful plant assuming you are in an area where viburnum borer is not an issue.

I've got several viburnums growing in the yard and one, in particular has an odor equivalent to that of fallen Ginkgo nuts. This lasts for about a week or two during Fall. I think the berries are dark blue.